Bed Bugs in rented flat

SuzieSue

G_M wrote: »

Bed bugs can be picked up anywhere - even on public transport.

Removing the bed will not help - there will be bugs and eggs elsewher in the room - you need to fumigate properly.

I've had them and self-treated. Use google to find suppliers like this. Use ALL the different products, and be thorough. Stay out of the property while the treatment works and air thoroughly afterwards.

It worked for me.

G-M's advice is spot on. Bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of and it needs to be done properly.

Unfortunately, you can't prove that you didn't bring them in yourself, so either leave now, or get the problem treated. If you do decide to leave, be very careful about what possessions including clothes that you take to your new place as otherwise your new place will become infested. It only takes one bed bug carried on your clothing, on furniture or in a suitcase to cause an infestation.

SuzieSue

GAH wrote: »

Rather than spending money on cleaning this bed, ask landlord to get rid of bed and purchase your own one, you then have piece of mind and you can take it with you to your next property.

But the bed bugs will be throughout the room and possibly the rest of the property, not just on the bed. Replacing the bed and not treating the rest of the room will not solve anything.

maninthestreet

Bed bugs are very senstive to heat - they are killed by temperatures above 46C.

hoffage123

When we had a similar problem (told the LL two weeks after moving in) then what we did was to contact the council ... they sent someone around (pest officer) who sprayed stuff everywhere, and we paid half of the fee (total £40) and the LL paid the other half ... it may be worth checking out with your council to see if they offer stuff like that.

piggeh

G_M wrote: »

Bed bugs can be picked up anywhere - even on public transport.

Removing the bed will not help - there will be bugs and eggs elsewher in the room - you need to fumigate properly.

I've had them and self-treated. Use google to find suppliers like this. Use ALL the different products, and be thorough. Stay out of the property while the treatment works and air thoroughly afterwards.

It worked for me.

I have ordered a kit from these people, in fact I just picked it up. Also went to pet store and got some flea spray containing pymetherin which is effective against bed bugs. And polythene sheets, plastic jugs, etc, to isolate the bed.

Got the council coming next week to do an inspection and subsequently, two lots of treatment. All this is costing a stupid amount of money already (about £250 so far) - I ultimately don't mind splitting the cost with the LL although don't really want to say as much at this stage.

When you treated, where did you use the powder? Did you apply to edge of carpets, or only hard areas/crevices?

G_M

Anywhere the b*ggers can hide! All round the skirting boards. Base/legs of all furniture. Under the matress.

If you have fitted carpets I'd sprinkle the entire carpet, leave 24 hours, then hoover and sprinkle again round edges. You can't be too thorough.

Use powder. Use spray. Use 'fog'. Repeat a week later. There's no such thing as overkill!

piggeh

G_M wrote: »

Anywhere the b*ggers can hide! All round the skirting boards. Base/legs of all furniture. Under the matress.

If you have fitted carpets I'd sprinkle the entire carpet, leave 24 hours, then hoover and sprinkle again round edges. You can't be too thorough.

Use powder. Use spray. Use 'fog'. Repeat a week later. There's no such thing as overkill!

How did you get to sleep at night when you had them? Did you isolate your bed? That's probably the most depressing thing. I don't mind my stuff being in black bags, hoovering every day, using powders, etc, my main complaint is trying to get to sleep at night, I dread it nowadays knowing these things are all in the bed. Isolation should help, but anything else worth doing to help with getting a few hours meaningful rest?

Went to work over christmas, could not think straight, as I was up at 5am itching from bites.

domcastro

I feel sorry for you. I watched a Discovery programme on bed bugs. It was in America and they got a sniffer dog in to find the source. It was her suitcase. She had got back from a holiday a few weeks previously. The source was therefore determined as the hotel she had stayed in. The suitcase was thrown away and the house treated.

propertyman

piggeh wrote: »

How did you get to sleep at night when you had them? Did you isolate your bed? That's probably the most depressing thing. I don't mind my stuff being in black bags, hoovering every day, using powders, etc, my main complaint is trying to get to sleep at night, I dread it nowadays knowing these things are all in the bed. Isolation should help, but anything else worth doing to help with getting a few hours meaningful rest?

Went to work over christmas, could not think straight, as I was up at 5am itching from bites.

Isolating after a thorough going over should eliminate or cut down the bugs.

Anti histamine stops the itching, cough syrup or maybe a decent scotch to get to sleep.

Check with your doctor though on any self medication just in case.

hammadsalim

I can completely sympathize with you as I recently have had the bed bugs problem myself and had to get a professional to treat my room thoroughly however, I have learned a lot about bed bugs in the experience and can eliminate beg bugs on my on I believe now.

The following may help you:

Isolate your bed.
-Do this by removing and throwing away the bed base first if the base is made of wood .. they are nearly impossible to recover from infestations. Either buy a new iron base (cost £50 from Argos) or just put the mattress on carpet if you want to save money.
-Treat your mattress with a good bed bug killing spray. I found Zero In Bed Bug spray to be very useful. You can get them from Amazon. Once treated, let the matress dry completely.
-Put in a new bed sheet and then put Diatomaceous Earth (very effective powder, available on the internet) around your matress/bed base.

By following above advise I am sure you can at least have peaceful sleeps even if your room is infested with Bed Bugs.

Later on, you can slowly and easily treat your room whenever you have time and will.

The main thing is that you block their food supply which is you. If they cant eat, they cant reproduce.

Let me know if you need anymore info. Best of luck.